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Library fair to offer a taste of Muslim culture on Sept. 19

September 17, 2013

The annual Library Fair will feature exhibits to help visitors explore the themes contained in the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf.

Sights, sounds and smells of the Middle East will abound at the annual Library Fair as visitors get a taste of Muslim culture on Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Ella Johnson Crandal Memorial Library on the campus of Union College. From 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. library goers can sample Middle Eastern dishes and a variety of activities and exhibits that explore themes from the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf now available at the Union College library.

Throughout the afternoon, the melodies of a traditional Turkish musician Ismail Ozcan will fill the atrium and invite passers by to enjoy the activities inside the library itself, including the screening of a documentary about Islamic art, an Arabic calligraphy demonstration, a recitation of the Qur’an and activities to help students explore the resources in the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf.

Much of the cuisine will be prepared by Zainab Al-Baaj, Hope Project coordinator for the Good Neighbor Center, and her friends, along with contributions from local restaurants such as Parthenon and Babylon.

“This year’s fair will truly be a cultural experience and a great opportunity to interact with Lincoln’s Muslim community, “ said Sabrina Riley, library director.

Union College Library was awarded the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Muslim Journeys Bookshelf in January 2013. The Bookshelf is a collection of scholarly and literary books, films, and online resources designed to generate community discussion and understanding of Islamic history, art, literature, religion, contemporary points of view, and the immigrant experience in America.

The library fair is one in a series of events sponsored by the Union College Center for Interfaith Studies and the Good Neighbor Center designed to the community to use and discuss themes represented in the Bookshelf.

For more information about the resources available in the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf, click here.